Director's Share Purchase

Cairn Energy PLC
4 December 2000

           
Cairn announces that today, Norman Murray, Non-Executive Director, purchased
15,000 Ordinary Shares of 10p each in the Company at a price of 197p per
share. 

Following this announcement, Mr Murray's beneficial interest in Cairn's issued
ordinary share capital is as follows:

Director               Previous    Shares       New Holding    % Interest
                       Holding     Purchased
                                     
Norman Murray           10,000     15,000        25,000          0.017